Scientists have uncovered the mystery of the death of ancestors of the person

Lucy died as a result of falling from a great height, probably from a tree.

American anthropologists from the University of Texas at Austin, said the disclosure of the cause of death of famous female Australopithecus Lucy, who is considered the progenitor of mankind, according to the website of the University.

It turned out that Lucy died as a result of falling from a great height, probably from a tree. To such conclusions scientists came after a CT-scan of her remains, which revealed cracks in the bones.

The nature of the damage suggests that they were derived from a fall from a great height and was deposited at the time of death, not after it.

For example, damage to the arm bones indicate that in the attempt to soften the blow of Lucy pulling the forelegs. Scientists have even managed to calculate the drop height of 13.7 metres.

As you know, the Australopithecines moved on the ground, but often spent time in the trees, for example, during sleep. According to scientists, bipedalism had resulted in a deterioration of the skills of climbing trees.

“Adaptation that helped them more effectively move on land, could have a negative impact on the skills of climbing trees. Gradually they made Lucy and her relatives more vulnerable to falls from a height,” says co-author John Kappelman.

Lucy lived 3.18 million million years ago, it is the first known representative of the hominids. Found in 1974 in Ethiopia, the skeleton was preserved almost 40 percent, which is very rare. Discovery study for many years, but the cause of death has always remained a mystery.

By the way, last year Lucy has a competitor for the title of progenitor of the people. Scientists conducted a re-Dating of remains of Australopithecus, discovered in the Sterkfontein caves in South Africa, and found that Australopithecus found there is her age.